Moderator note: There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Holmsey is anything other than what he said he was and it is against the forum rules to speculate on a member's motives for posting. Please let's not start discussing individuals. I too have been in touch with Wessely but I can assure you I am not his son, nor do I have any relationship of any sort with him.

You might want to reconsider your posts about Dr Wessely's mental health. You may be opening yourselves to legal action for defamation. I'd advise you to stick to the facts rather than speculating about the state of the man's mind.

I felt pretty uncomfortable yesterday musing about the psyche of a stranger. It was only when I remembered that said stranger feels no such compunctions when musing about mine that I decided to relax.

Gerwyn said:

I wonder if this was his attachment style faking illness etc in order to avoid things criticism etc a sort of learned helplessness and this is triggereing his self disgust that he,s transferring

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That makes so much sense! I agree that some manner of self loathing is at the heart of this. I would like to add that it is not necessary to be a "bad" person to feel self loathing and that we all work out our crazy and project/tansfer it somewhere. All it takes to do great harm, IMO, is to play out your crazy combined with hubris or arrogance.

Edited to remove quote from member.

Also makes a great deal of sense! My guess is that there is very probably some truth in all of these theories.

I wonder how his mother handled illness?

Having a theory re his behaviour actually elicits empathy in me for him. Perhaps he does feel empathy for us but perhaps it is triggered by reducing us to an illness behaviour stereotype - perhaps his mother's or another powerful woman in his life. He may believe that he has our poor misguided interests at heart. I suspect he is blinded by his own psychopathology.

Poor guy. He should stop now. He's young; it's not too late to see the error and redeem himself.

Moderator note: There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Holmsey is anything other than what he said he was and it is against the forum rules to speculate on a member's motives for posting. Please let's not start discussing individuals. I too have been in touch with Wessely but I can assure you I am not his son, nor do I have any relationship of any sort with him.

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Martlet, I wasnt suggesting that Holmsey could be Wesselys son, merely that he had been in touch with Wessely.

"As long ago as 1988, young people with ME were being subjected to psychiatric "distraction therapy"; the most well-known case is that of Ean Proctor from the Isle of Man, then a twelve year old boy who, against his parents' wishes and with no prior warning, was forcibly taken from his parents. A policeman was standing by and a Court Order had been obtained (which was supported - in writing-by Wessely).

Before being referred to doctors in London, Ean had been subjected to terrifying ordeals: his local doctors did not believe in ME so they devised activities which were designed to prove that the child's symptoms were simulated. One such "distraction therapy" involved taking the petrified child on a ghost train in the expectation that he would cry out in fear on 3rd June 1988 Wessely had written a letter saying that Ean's inability to speak was " elective mutism").

Ean's parents turned for help to the Isle of Man Tynwaid, whose report on the case reveals even more horrors (ref. Report of the Select Committee of Tynwald on the Petition for Redress of Grievance of Robin and Barbara Proctor, 1,C April 1991). This official report states: "At the time, Ean could not keep his balance, his legs were getting weak, his speech was much slower, he found it difficult to read and he could not keep his concentration. He could not feed himself because he could not move his arms; he could not stand. He was subsequently unable to speak". The report documents that during one admission to Nobles Hospital on the Isle of Man, whilst "paralysed, he was put in the swimming pool with no floating aids whatsoever. Mfs Proctor said that at this time, Ean could not move a finger and could not speak. Ean sank under the water"

You might want to reconsider your posts about Dr Wessely's mental health. You may be opening yourselves to legal action for defamation. I'd advise you to stick to the facts rather than speculating about the state of the man's mind.

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Thank you for the reminder Martlet. I'm quite happy to desist. As for any issue of defamation, I think its quite clear that we all believe that this sort of psychoanalysis is codswallop and therefore can only be viewed as what it is, a little satirical light relief and not to be construed as a serious allegation.

Sorry I haven't followed the story about Wessley other than to know he has a lot of clout in establishing ME as a psychiatric disorder. So my question is only based on the small amount that I know.
I don't understand why everyone is so focused on him. It is the authorities that have chosen him that are responsible. Like the man who is cheating on his wife, the blame should not be focused on the ethics of the other woman. The responsibility for the problem is your husband - not the other woman. He's the scab!

Thank you for the reminder Martlet. I'm quite happy to desist. As for any issue of defamation, I think its quite clear that we all believe that this sort of psychoanalysis is codswallop and therefore can only be viewed as what it is, a little satirical light relief and not to be construed as a serious allegation.

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It Isn,t Psychoanalysis Attachment theory has consideable scientific evidence in it,s support and is based on modern neuroscience mental representations and so on

just saw this thread, and have to add an additional diagnosis to Wessely....it's not actually in the DSM, but part of it is.....I say that in addition to having narcissistic personality disorder he also suffers from malingering by proxy....(malingerers lie about being sick to receive benefits - it's a bit more complicated than that, but that's basically it)....well he is lying about what is wrong with others ( CFS patients) in order to receive various benefits from it, so malingering by proxy

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Can't remember who, but someone on the forum coined the term "sadism by proxy".

I hadn't yet posted when you did. I don't want to just erase given I have found more empathy for him than I have ever felt before. Perhaps the forum could advise us as to the legal situation.

Many thanks,
Koan

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Regarding "defamation", first he'd have to prove it was false, then that it injured him. Highly unlikely he could prove either. US courts wouldn't even accept a case like that. He's a public figure and many public figures have been "psychoanalyzed" in the media.

Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: defamationPronunciation: "de-f&-'mA-sh&nFunction: noun1: communication to third parties of false statements about a person that injure the reputation of or deter others from associating with that person

I thought Wessely has stated that he is accustomed to receiving hate mail. Surely a little satirical psychoanalysis isn't going to bother him. I rather imagine he likes attention in any form. Um...... there is a diagnosis for that too, isn't there?

Highly unlikely he could prove either. US courts wouldn't even accept a case like that.

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British laws are much stricter in their application than US laws, and let's remember that this is an international forum.

In the UK, the onus is not on the one being defamed to prove that what is said is false. It is exactly the opposite in that if a person takes someone to court for libel or slander, the accused has to prove that what they said is true. Neither judge nor jury in the UK have to be convinced that what is said is actually damaging. Their task, once a statement is proved false, is only to decide on the damages to be awarded.

In Wessely's case, people might be able to prove that they have been damaged by him/his views but no-one here would be able to prove allegations that he is mentally ill!

very interesting idea I wonder if this was his attachment style faking illness etc in order to avoid things criticism etc a sort of learned helplessness and this is triggereing his self disgust that he,s transferring